Beach House
by Rosel
Summary: Emma meets Henry and Neal at her Beach House in Tallahassee.


**Beach House**

**Disclaimer: I Don't Own OUAT**

**Done to fulfill the Swanfireaufridays **

**A/N: I'm not quite sure how AU this is. It pretty much set after Manhattan but with no TAMARA and if August gave Emma the money. **

Emma arrived at her beach house in Tallahassee. She was starting to think she would never see it again. It was her home, her place of refuge from the world, her central home base. Whenever she needed a vacation she ended up here. Breathing the brisk cool beach air and watching the waves from her porch. After she spent so much time hopping from one place to another chasing after criminals and low lives she could come here and collect her thoughts. She enjoyed going during the off season when it was cooler, less crowded, and less people and their families to remind her how alone she was. Now that she arrived in her yellow bug it would be different she wasn't coming here to regroup from chasing criminals she came here to hide, to hide from the Fairy Tale characters who were after Henry. She actually had this house under a synonym so the low life scums she helped put away wouldn't find her in revenge. She had lived here before for two years and Regina had found that out but that was before she decided to buy this house under a false name in cash, so no one could really trace her. The owners were a bit skeptical when she bought it but were happy since she went over what they were asking for and the house was a fixer upper. She had enjoyed fixing it up, it gave her something to do, while she tried to unwind, so she wouldn't be so focused on the fact that she always came here alone. Now she wasn't alone. Now she wasn't arriving to an empty house. Now she was meeting Henry and Neal. She told herself so many times she bought and fixed it up for herself to show some imaginary Neal that she could have their dream without him. She told herself that she didn't secretly hope that someday she could miraculously undo her mistake of giving up her kid for adoption and he could live here with her. She told herself that she spent all of those years chasing those guys so she can chase after Neal so she could bring justice and get revenge. Part of her chased after him because deep down she wanted a miracle that gave a really good explanation on why he left her and that they could miraculously make up and live here together living their dream and starting their family. Let's face it she bought this house and fixed it up for those two men who were waiting for her inside.

Henry rushed down the wooden porch stairs and said, "Mom! This place is great!"

Neal slowly walked out and then leaned against the door folding his arms just watching Emma and Henry hug. He admired them while he stood there. She looked up at him with some difficulty. He seemed to be hiding a triumphant smirk. She wondered if he would gloat, then thought that Neal knew better than that.

Then she asked, "Did you find the place okay?"

"Your directions were spot on; we took the back roads like you told us." Neal said.

"Were you followed?" Emma asked.

"Please, Emma this is me we're talking about here. I know how to disappear."

Emma morbidly laughed to herself, oh she knew he knew how to disappear alright she has been chasing after him long enough to know that.

"Did you have any trouble?" Neal asked.

"No, I was careful; I know how to disappear too. That was the whole purpose of this place." Emma said a bit nostalgic.

"Was it now?" Neal asked with that irksome glint in his eye.

She couldn't exactly hide the fact that she bought this place while thinking about him. Tallahassee was the place they had decided to start their crime free life together there was no getting around that.

When they sat in Mary Margret's apartment wondering where they could go to hide from Regina, Emma was silent until she resolved to tell them that she had a place where she hid from the world, a place where no one knew about. They were all shocked when she told them that she owned a house. Neal looked like he was about to choke on air when she mentioned that she owned an untraceable Beach House in Tallahassee. She could not look at him in the eye when she told him. He was even more surprised when she told him to take Henry to the house on their own and then she would meet them up later. Neal and Henry left in the dead of the night hoping Regina was unaware of their departure. She had to tie some loose ends at Story Brooke and she did need a moment or two to say Good Bye to her mother and father. It wasn't going to be forever just until they could calm things down with Regina and Henry would be safe and not caught in the middle.

Henry looked up at her and asked, "Can we go swimming?"

"Maybe in little bit. I need to get settled."

"Dad said that we could have a picnic on the beach and he could teach me how to surf!"

Emma's heart sank.

"That sounds nice. Maybe you two should go without me while I get settled." Emma said.

"No, we can wait for you. Right Dad?" Henry said.

"Right, Emma, we'll wait for you however long it takes." Neal said with his hands shoved into his pockets and his eyes penetrating hers.

Emma thought her heart was going to jump into her throat at the statement.

"Yeah, okay." Emma said as she picked up her bag ready to come in. Neal then asked, "Do you need me to carry any bags in for you?"

"No thanks, I pack light." Then she passed by him and went straight to her room.

As she passed the living room she saw Neal's bags spread across the couch.

Then she turned to Neal who just came back in and she said, "You know I have two guest rooms for a reason."

"Do you get a lot of visitors?" Neal asked.

She ignored the question and said, "You don't have to sleep on the couch."

Neal said, "I thought I was in the dog house."

It was true she was still upset with him for the whole setting her up to go to jail to 'get her home' thing but the way he said it was like they were a married couple who just had a fight. She didn't want to play along but that pout on his face drew her in and she said, "Well that's true but since we're not actually together you can still sleep in an actual bed and I still get the best room in the house."

"Well, obviously you deserve the best." Neal said with an awed smile on his face.

She chose to ignore that comment and went to her bedroom.

She opened the master bedroom sighing. It was a long time since she slept in this bed. The last time she fell in this bed she was so exhausted from her latest scumbag chase. Now she was here with her son and his father, it was eerily how normal it was. She had to remind herself it wasn't normal, she had to remind herself she was just hiding out with Neal and Henry until it was safe for Henry. That was the reality, she wasn't here on some family vacation with her husband and kid. That was not the reality. It just wasn't. She quickly unpacked her clothes in her mahogany dresser. She thought about maybe taking a nap, the drive was exhausting and Neal and Henry would understand. She could give them some good father son bonding time. They were just getting to know each other and she didn't want to intrude. She remembered what it was like when she was first getting to know Henry.

She looked out the window and saw them throwing the Frisbee around on the beach. She didn't know if she could handle this. How long did she have to suffer through this fantasy of living this life? How long did she have to see Neal and Henry acting like father and son in the place they always dreamed of building a family together? She was barking up dangerous territory of having all of their dreams coming true.

Henry looked up and waved and she couldn't help but wave back. Henry looked so happy here. She knew he wasn't completely happy since his adoptive mother was causing such a mess and she was trying to take him away and make him stay with her. She still saw that twinge of sadness there but he was thrilled to spend time with his new discovered father. He was even happy to see her, which thrilled her. He was upset about her lying to him but he was beginning to forgive her every day. The kid did seem pretty content to have his mom and dad in his life. Maybe, she shouldn't have done this though. Maybe she shouldn't have Neal bring him here or maybe she should have stayed behind. The three of them being together like this in this house could confuse him. It could get him use to the idea of the three of them as a family. But what happened when they had to return to reality what happened when she has to go back to Story Brooke and Neal returned to New York? The poor kid could get his heart broken. She did see Neal immediately get so attached to Henry. Maybe he would move there to be with Henry permeantly, but even if he did just the three of them being together could still be confusing because she and Neal weren't together.

After Emma got settled and put on some nice relaxing beach clothes over her bathing suit on with sandals she came down stairs and Neal prepared the sandwiches and fruit in a picnic basket and they set off to go to the Beach.

Neal threw the blanket down on the beach and got everything set up for their picnic. They just sat there eating sandwiches. Henry had his book out grilling Neal about what it was like over there in Fairy Tale Land. Neal regaled him with stories about the land he came from but then he would go in more details about stories about Never Land. Henry was enthralled. Emma just sat there silently watching the two of them interact. They were like two peas in a pod. She got into some of his crazy stories and actually laughed how silly this 300 year old man could get. She guessed that's what happens when you're a kid for hundreds of years.

After a while they relax and Henry started to build a sand castle. He was having some trouble and Neal started to help him.

Henry asked, "Have you ever been to a castle before?"

"Actually no. I only lived in a small village and in never land we'd travel from island to island and kind of camped out where ever we could."

"So you've always been a nomad." Emma said.

Neal asked, "Yes, well, so have you. Haven't you?"

"Mostly, except for Story Brooke and this place."

Neal smiled at that.

Henry got some buckets and started to dig a small ditch for the moat.

Then Emma asked, "How about you? You settle anywhere for long."

"I guess the longest has been New York."

"How long has that been?"

"Oh about six months or so."

"You getting stir crazy is it time for another change then?" Emma asked.

"Possibly, I haven't really settled anywhere because I haven't found my home or at least…"

"Okay! Didn't you say you were going to teach Henry how to surf?" Emma said quickly changing the subject.

"Oh yeah, kid, are you up for it?" Neal asked Henry.

"Yeah!" Henry said excited.

Then Neal took his shirt off and helped Henry carry the large surf board.

She stared at Neal for a second shaking her head out of the thoughts.

Emma breathed out in relief. That was close she felt like if she didn't distract Neal with Henry bonding time he might tell her he only felt like he was at home with her. Or he wouldn't say anything like that at all and she didn't know which option scared her more.

She saw Neal teach Henry how to surf and saw how awful he did. He waded in the water and Henry sat on the board he looked at a total loss. Emma laughed. The man knew how to sail a Pirate ship but surfing was totally foreign thing to him. That was hilarious. She could have a fun time just watching the board slip through Neal's fingers. Henry didn't seem to care he wasn't getting anywhere. Emma got up and threw her shorts and tank top off. She couldn't just sit here anymore she had to show them how it was done.

Henry slipped off of the board again and Neal caught him.

"Alright, boys how about I show you a thing or two about how it is done." Emma said as she took the surf board with a big confident smile. She hadn't really smiled like that in a long time.

"Show us how it's done." Neal said seeming to enjoy this side of Emma.

Emma looked up at the oncoming waves and then laid on her stomach and started to glide down for a while until she saw the waves get closer and then she hopped up on the surf board and started surfing the waves. She felt the exhilarating rush of the wind and the waves breeze through her as she surfed with ease. Then she glanced over to see Neal and Henry. Henry was excitedly ecstatic and yelled, "Wow! Go mom!"

Then Neal looked at her amazed. He stood there gawking at her completely enraptured by her. She could feel his appreciation and she lost her balance and fell.

Neal swam in rushing to her aid.

"Ems are you ok?"

Normally she would chide him for calling her by her old nick name but this time she allowed it as he helped her up.

She just laughed.

"What's so funny?" Neal asked amused.

"Oh it's just what happens when I boast about how great I am." Emma said.

"You looked pretty great to me." Neal said while he still held her hand from helping her up.

Emma looked at his hand and for moment she wanted to just stand there and let him hold her hand but then she let it go.

Then Henry came running in the waves and said, "Mom! Are you okay?"

"Yeah, kid, I'm fine."

"Good." Henry said happy and then said, "Cause that was awesome. I didn't know you could surf."

"I'm just full of surprises." Emma said.

"She sure is." Neal said smiling.

She looked at him not amused her smile faded and she gave him a scowl. He looked worried like he said something to offend her.

Then she put her head down looking at water. He looked at her intently his worry growing and then she lifted her hands splashing him.

Neal then looked at her mocking hurt and said, "Is that how you want to play it?"

He started to chase her she started to run he sent her a huge wave of splashes and then Emma splashed Henry and Henry went to splash Neal. They all three of them ran in circles caught in a whirl wind of splashes. They had fits of giggles as they continued to chase and splash each other.

In the midst of the blur of all of the splashes Emma fell on top of Neal. Their laughter subsided and then they stared into eachothers eyes. Their breaths hitched and they could feel eachothers heart beats. Then Henry ran towards them and Emma stood helping him up. He took her hand and as he stood up their hands still lingered linked together for a moment then immediately they both let go.

They spent the rest of the day playing, swimming, finishing Henry's epic three story Sand Castle, and then Neal got the swords out and Emma sat on the blanket watching them. They ended the night going back to the house and grilled hamburgers on the patio. Later Henry and Neal played on the tire swing. Then Neal made a fire and they had smores. Henry fell asleep to one of Neal's stories about Neverland. He fell asleep on Emma's shoulder. Emma was about to wake him up to take him to his room but then Neal carried him. They tucked him into his bed. Henry stirred between yawns he, "Thanks Dad, Mom, this is the best day. It's all I ever wanted."

Emma's heart warmed to that comment. Her smile was the biggest it has ever been, a tear fell down her cheek.

"Us too buddy." Neal said.

Usually Emma would lecture him for speaking for her but this time, this time she felt the same way. She wasn't even going to bother to deny it. This was what she always wanted, to have a nice day with her family.

They went back outside to put out the fire and clean up the area.

She tried to wipe her eyes of tears.

Then Neal caressed her cheek wiping away her tears.

"It's going to be Okay, Ems."

"What's okay?"

"Everything. I know you must be worried about Henry. He's safe with us. We'll protect him."

"I know he is. I know we'll keep him safe." Emma said.

"Then what's wrong?" Neal asked.

"Nothing, at all. That's the problem."

"How's that a problem?" Neal asked confused.

"This is everything I ever wanted. This is..." Emma struggled to say.

"Everything we ever wanted. I know." Neal finished the sentence for her.

Emma moved away from him folding her arms looking up at the bright sky. She took a deep breath and then turned around.

"I remember when we would be driving around in that stupid bug and say all of the silly ridiculous things we would do when we settled. We live near the beach, we walk along the ocean hand in hand, and…"

"Make a family." Neal said completing her sentence.

"We can't get confused here. Having a day like this, it might be fun, but it's not the reality we're not a family at least not in the way we dreamed of all of those years ago."

Neal edged closer to her holding her upper arms gently and said, "We could be."

"We can't. Too much has…I can't."

"I know. I know you felt betrayed and abandoned by me. There is nothing I can do to change the past all we can do is move forward. I wish I figured out another way. I wish I didn't have to leave you and that you didn't ended up in jail pregnant. I wish we didn't miss seeing Henry grow up. I wish we could have been here instead… there are so many things I wish that I will never have. But what we can change is what we decide now. You can hide behind those walls and we can be clear that I'm just Henry's Dad and your just Henry's mom and we can act like a divorced couple sharing custody having to only stay to protect him. Or we can do what we've wanted for so long and what we both still want and…"

Emma brushed her lips against Neal's shutting up his heartfelt speech she could not take it anymore. She wrapped her arms around him kissing him fully. He moved her closer to him wrapping his arms around her waist tugging her closer to him. His kissed her taking her in feel every inch of lips with his. She smiled in her kiss every part of her felt that warm glowing feeling. She then parted from him pushing him away.

He sighed and said, "Here we go. What denial are you going to spout out now?"

"No denial just the truth I cannot fully forgive you not yet, it will take time but I'm willing to try."

"For Henry?" Neal asked.

"For us." Emma said.


End file.
